Dynamic selection of rendering intent for color proofing transforms

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus, method, and computer program product for automatically selecting a rendering intent. It includes identifying a device color profile associated with a device; and automatically selecting a rendering intent based on the transform defined by the device color profile. Selecting can include determining a minimum luminance the printing press can produce; and selecting one of a plurality of rendering intents based on a comparison of the minimum luminance to one or more predefined thresholds. Selecting can include selecting a first rendering intent when the difference between a minimum luminance the printing press can produce and a minimum luminance the proofing printer can produce exceeds a predefined value; and selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. Selecting can include selecting a first rendering intent when a color gamut of the printing press is substantially contained within a color gamut of the proofing printer; and selecting a second rendering intent otherwise.

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 automatically selecting a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; 
 receiving input data; 
 identifying an emulation device, the emulation device being different from the output device, the emulation device having a second device color profile different from the first device color profile; 
 generating output data by transforming the input data using the second device color device profile as a target device color profile, the first device profile as a source device color profile, and the selected rendering intent; and 
 sending the output data to the emulation device. 
 
   
   
     2. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 automatically selecting a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; 
 determining from the first device color profile a minimum luminance the output device can produce; and 
 selecting the rendering intent based on a comparison of the minimum luminance to one or more predefined thresholds. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the output device is a printing press. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting one of a plurality of rendering intents comprises:
 selecting a first rendering intent when the minimum luminance exceeds a predefined threshold; and 
 selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 selecting a first rendering intent includes selecting a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 selecting a second rendering intent includes selecting a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving input data from a graphic arts application; 
 generating output data using the input data and the selected rendering intent; and 
 sending the output data to a proofing printer, the proofing printer having a device color profile different from the first device color profile. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein selecting a first rendering intent includes selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 4 , wherein selecting a second rendering intent includes selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     9. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 automatically selecting a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; and 
 identifying an emulation device color profile associated with an emulation device, the emulation device color profile being different from the first device color profile; 
 wherein automatically selecting a rendering intent further comprises selecting the rendering intent based on the emulation device color profile. 
 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the emulation device is a device to generate output of an emulation of the output device. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the output device is a printing press and the emulation device is a proofing printer, the method further comprising:
 receiving a selection indicative of the printing press color profile; and 
 receiving a selection indicative of the proofing printer color profile. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting a first rendering intent when the difference between a minimum luminance the printing press can produce and a minimum luminance the proofing printer can produce exceeds a predefined value; and 
 selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 selecting a first rendering intent includes selecting a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 selecting a second rendering intent includes selecting a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein selecting a first rendering intent includes selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein selecting a second rendering intent includes selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting a first rendering intent when a color gamut of the printing press is substantially contained within a color gamut of the proofing printer; and 
 selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 selecting a first rendering intent includes selecting a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 selecting a second rendering intent includes selecting a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein selecting a first rendering intent includes selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein selecting a second rendering intent includes selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     20. An apparatus comprising:
 means for identifying a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 means for automatically selecting a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; 
 means for receiving input data; 
 means for identifying an emulation device, the emulation device being different from the output device, the emulation device having a second device color profile different from the first device color profile; and 
 means for generating output data by transforming the input data using the second device color device profile as a target device color profile, the first device profile as a source device color profile, and the selected rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     21. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the output device is a printing press. 
   
   
     22. An apparatus comprising:
 means for identifying a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 means for automatically selecting a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; 
 means for determining from the first device color profile a minimum luminance the output device can produce; and 
 means for automatically selecting the rendering intent based on a comparison of the minimum luminance to one or more predefined thresholds. 
 
   
   
     23. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the means for selecting one of a plurality of rendering intents comprises:
 means for selecting a first rendering intent when the minimum luminance exceeds a predefined threshold; and 
 means for selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the means for selecting a first rendering intent includes means for selecting a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 the means for selecting a second rendering intent includes means for selecting a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     25. The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 means for receiving input data from a graphic arts application; 
 means for generating output data using the input data and a selected rendering intent; and 
 means for sending the output data to the proofing printer, the proofing printer having a device color profile different from the first device color profile. 
 
   
   
     26. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the means for selecting a first rendering intent includes means for selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     27. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the means for selecting a second rendering intent includes means for selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     28. An apparatus comprising:
 means for identifying a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 means for automatically selecting a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; and 
 means for identifying an emulation device color profile associated with an emulation device, the emulation device color profile being different from the first device color profile; 
 wherein the means for automatically selecting a rendering intent further comprises means for selecting the rendering intent based on the emulation device color profile. 
 
   
   
     29. The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the emulation device is a device to generate output of an emulation of the output device. 
   
   
     30. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the output device is a printing press and the emulation device is a proofing printer, the apparatus further comprising:
 means for receiving a selection indicative of the printing press color profile; and 
 means for receiving a selection indicative of the proofing printer color profile. 
 
   
   
     31. The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 means for selecting a first rendering intent when the difference between a minimum luminance the printing press can produce and a minimum luminance the proofing printer can produce exceeds a predefined value; and 
 means for selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     32. The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the means for selecting a first rendering intent includes means for selecting a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 the means for selecting a second rendering intent includes means for selecting a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     33. The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the means for selecting a first rendering intent includes means for selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     34. The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the means for selecting a second rendering intent includes means for selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     35. The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 means for selecting a first rendering intent when a color gamut of the printing press is substantially contained within a color gamut of the proofing printer; and 
 means for selecting a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     36. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the means for selecting a first rendering intent includes means for selecting a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 the means for selecting a second rendering intent includes means for selecting a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     37. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the means for selecting a colorimetric rendering intent includes means for selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     38. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the means for selecting a perceptual rendering intent includes means for selecting a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     39. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to:
 identify a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 automatically select a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; 
 receive input data; 
 identify an emulation device, the emulation device being different from the output device, the emulation device having a second device color profile different from the first device color profile; 
 generate output data by transforming the input data using the second device color device profile as a target device color profile, the first device profile as a source device color profile, and the selected rendering intent; and 
 send the output data to the emulation device. 
 
   
   
     40. The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein the output device is a printing press. 
   
   
     41. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to:
 identify a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 automatically select a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; 
 determine from the first device color profile a minimum luminance the output device can produce; and 
 select the rendering intent based on a comparison of the minimum luminance to one or more predefined thresholds. 
 
   
   
     42. The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein the instructions to select one of a plurality of rendering intents further comprise:
 instructions to select a first rendering intent when the minimum luminance exceeds a predefined threshold; and 
 instructions to select a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     43. The computer program product of  claim 42 , wherein:
 the instructions to select a first rendering intent include instructions to select a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 the instructions to select a second rendering intent include instructions to select a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     44. The computer program product of  claim 43 , further comprising instructions to:
 receive input data from a graphic arts application; 
 generate output data using the input data and a selected rendering intent; and 
 send the output data to the proofing printer, the proofing printer having a device color profile different from the first device color profile. 
 
   
   
     45. The computer program product of  claim 42 , wherein the instructions to select a first rendering intent include instructions to select a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     46. The computer program product of  claim 42 , wherein the instructions to select a second rendering intent include instructions to select a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     47. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to:
 identify a first device color profile associated with an output device; 
 automatically select a rendering intent from a plurality of rendering intents based on the color characteristics of the output device, the color characteristics being defined by the first device color profile; and 
 identify an emulation device color profile associated with an emulation device, the emulation device color profile being different from the first device color profile; 
 wherein the instructions to automatically select the rendering intent further comprise instructions to select a rendering intent based on the emulation device color profile. 
 
   
   
     48. The computer program product of  claim 47 , wherein the emulation device is a device to generate output of an emulation of the output device. 
   
   
     49. The computer program product of  claim 48 , wherein the output device is a printing press and the emulation device is a proofing printer, the computer program product further comprising instructions to:
 receive a selection indicative of the printing press color profile; and 
 receive a selection indicative of the proofing printer color profile. 
 
   
   
     50. The computer program product of  claim 49 , further comprising instructions to:
 select a first rendering intent when the difference between a minimum luminance the printing press can produce and a minimum luminance the proofing printer can produce exceeds a predefined value; and 
 select a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     51. The computer program product of  claim 50 , wherein:
 the instructions to select a first rendering intent include instructions to select a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 the instructions to select a second rendering intent include instructions to select a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     52. The computer program product of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions to select a first rendering intent include instructions to select a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     53. The computer program product of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions to select a second rendering intent include instructions to select a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     54. The computer program product of  claim 49 , further comprising instructions to:
 select a first rendering intent when a color gamut of the printing press is substantially contained within a color gamut of the proofing printer; and 
 select a second rendering intent otherwise. 
 
   
   
     55. The computer program product of  claim 54 , wherein:
 the instructions to select a first rendering intent include instructions to select a perceptual rendering intent; and 
 the instructions to select a second rendering intent include instructions to select a colorimetric rendering intent. 
 
   
   
     56. The computer program product of  claim 54 , wherein the instructions to select a first rendering intent include instructions to select a composite rendering intent. 
   
   
     57. The computer program product of  claim 54 , wherein the instructions to select a second rendering intent include instructions to select a composite rendering intent.